PETA forced North Carolina town to rethink their Possum Drop event for New Year’s Eve

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BRASSTOWN, NC - Should old acquaintance be forgot? According to PETA and if those acquaintance are living possums, yes. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants a North Carolina town to stop using a live opossum for their annual New Year's Eve Possum Drop". But the show must go on, so the townsfolk now plan to lower a "lifeless" marsupial at midnight instead.

You see, big city slickers might have their fancy, crystal covered ball to drop when the clock strikes 12, but for Brasstown, it's always been all about the possum. In the past, a wild possum would be placed inside a clear box and dropped (actually lowered) in front of a cheering crowd, to usher in the new year. This year however, PETA wants the town to drop the possum from the Possum Drop entirely, claiming it's cruel to traumatized animal that normally shies away from people. Pro-possum droppers refute the cruelty charges.

Still, because of pending litigation, the town was forced the town to think outside the "possum" box. Event organizers say for this year, a "road-killed" contender , a stuffed or even a pot of stewed possum, could be used to ring in 2015. Looks like the issue might be dead for now, or at least it's just playing possum for the time being.